1982 manta mirage build
06-19-2009, 06:54 PM
#1
1982 manta mirage build
(excuse the history here local guys, but wanted to get it all in one thread)
my Z sold for an offer i couldn't refuse. the second the guy drove off in it, i ran to my computer looking for the next project. i was whining and crying that the Z could not be replaced performance wise for the price i sold it for till i found this. sure, it is older technology, sure it is noisy, sure it brings visions of the movie corvette summer (few will get that one!!) sure it doesn't have a trunk or other interior comforts (yet), but, officially it is 1700lbs and has a tube frame with a mid mounted chevy small block V8!! enough said!!
mirages were produced from 76-86. the company has as of feb. of this year announced all parts are gone and no plans to make replacement parts are planned. it is modeled after the mclaren m8 early 70's can am car. this is not a fiberglass body on a vw frame. it is full tube chassis designed for this body from manta. i hear in stock trim, about 300-350hp, these cars accelerate so quick it is hard to believe! that brings pounds to hp ratio to about 4.8. the same as a 600rwhp Z/G, the advantage is weight and traction with this little dude though!! now 350hp out of a 350ci is bairily anything, so imagine 1200hp, hmmm
i got this from an estate sale and literally stole it. cars in lesser condition i have found went for around $30k. i paid $10.5. agreed site unseen only pics. the original owner passed away over 10 years ago and assets were wrapped up for that whole time. i saw it 45 minutes after it was listed and with only the lawyer and consignment eople vested in the car, i had a feeling the offer would be accepted. when i recieved it the car only has 1461 miles on it with everything being original 1982. it was kept covered in a heated shop all these years. the last time it was licensed was 86. the tires are original and still have the nubs on them. they are perfect with no cracking, but ofcourse, abit hard. the car does have a heater and a/c, though were never originally hooked up. i tested both systems last night and they work perfect, just need to complete hose hook ups. the car is only 36" tall and it is a pain to get in and out, but you are pretty much laying down once you get in. it is amasing to get a car from 1982 and know that it is exactly how it was in 1982 including all light bulbs and well everything. this finally is my "barn find" i have waited for.
ok, now, it has a vw front suspension right now. gotta go. has a corvair transaxle right now, they explode under abuse. neither has what you could call good brakes, but suffiecient for the weight.
i am currently rebuilding all of the systems on the car. new brakes, lines etc. the fluid dried up and just replacing hardened lines. i will drive it for the summer as is. come fall, this thing will go under surgery. i have already purchased a 930 porsche transaxle and all the parts to mate it to a small block chevy. this obviously is not a bolt in switch, all suspension will have to be redesigned around it. i have good plans for mating corvette suspension and brakes on this thing. ALOT will be fabbed. only the hubs will be used, so aftermarket brakes will be a bolt on. this is the perfect project to further my experience and knowledge. it is simple to make an already good handling car handle good by bolting on a set of coilovers, way different when you have to design the geometry then find a coil over to fit, lol.
for those who say it is ugly, i have to agree some angles look goofy. all that will be changed over the course of this project. all i can say is that when it is in front of you, it is a jaw dropping experience to think of the potential!
my Z sold for an offer i couldn't refuse. the second the guy drove off in it, i ran to my computer looking for the next project. i was whining and crying that the Z could not be replaced performance wise for the price i sold it for till i found this. sure, it is older technology, sure it is noisy, sure it brings visions of the movie corvette summer (few will get that one!!) sure it doesn't have a trunk or other interior comforts (yet), but, officially it is 1700lbs and has a tube frame with a mid mounted chevy small block V8!! enough said!!
mirages were produced from 76-86. the company has as of feb. of this year announced all parts are gone and no plans to make replacement parts are planned. it is modeled after the mclaren m8 early 70's can am car. this is not a fiberglass body on a vw frame. it is full tube chassis designed for this body from manta. i hear in stock trim, about 300-350hp, these cars accelerate so quick it is hard to believe! that brings pounds to hp ratio to about 4.8. the same as a 600rwhp Z/G, the advantage is weight and traction with this little dude though!! now 350hp out of a 350ci is bairily anything, so imagine 1200hp, hmmm
i got this from an estate sale and literally stole it. cars in lesser condition i have found went for around $30k. i paid $10.5. agreed site unseen only pics. the original owner passed away over 10 years ago and assets were wrapped up for that whole time. i saw it 45 minutes after it was listed and with only the lawyer and consignment eople vested in the car, i had a feeling the offer would be accepted. when i recieved it the car only has 1461 miles on it with everything being original 1982. it was kept covered in a heated shop all these years. the last time it was licensed was 86. the tires are original and still have the nubs on them. they are perfect with no cracking, but ofcourse, abit hard. the car does have a heater and a/c, though were never originally hooked up. i tested both systems last night and they work perfect, just need to complete hose hook ups. the car is only 36" tall and it is a pain to get in and out, but you are pretty much laying down once you get in. it is amasing to get a car from 1982 and know that it is exactly how it was in 1982 including all light bulbs and well everything. this finally is my "barn find" i have waited for.
ok, now, it has a vw front suspension right now. gotta go. has a corvair transaxle right now, they explode under abuse. neither has what you could call good brakes, but suffiecient for the weight.
i am currently rebuilding all of the systems on the car. new brakes, lines etc. the fluid dried up and just replacing hardened lines. i will drive it for the summer as is. come fall, this thing will go under surgery. i have already purchased a 930 porsche transaxle and all the parts to mate it to a small block chevy. this obviously is not a bolt in switch, all suspension will have to be redesigned around it. i have good plans for mating corvette suspension and brakes on this thing. ALOT will be fabbed. only the hubs will be used, so aftermarket brakes will be a bolt on. this is the perfect project to further my experience and knowledge. it is simple to make an already good handling car handle good by bolting on a set of coilovers, way different when you have to design the geometry then find a coil over to fit, lol.
for those who say it is ugly, i have to agree some angles look goofy. all that will be changed over the course of this project. all i can say is that when it is in front of you, it is a jaw dropping experience to think of the potential!
06-19-2009, 07:21 PM
#5
haha. ya, i was 5, lol. but still, i was amased at that vette (and the sick metal flake paint they did back then). the 400 formula firebird was my favorite for years also with the dual front hood scoops. i guess you could call it an old school fast and furious of its time, it was just realistic with the preinvention of cgi.
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06-19-2009, 08:06 PM
#9
this thing though eased the transition and now am consummed by what i can turn this car into. will be doing a sick cantilever type front suspension (think of the atom car) and waiting to pick up the new 930 transaxle to see how it fits the chassis for the rear suspension. the hard parts of the 930 transaxle (for those who do not know porsches, it is extremely rare to find one, for those who do know, then you know how much it cost!!) will be about the largest single purchase for this car. after that, sbc parts are literally a dime a dozen and fabbing a twin turbo kit ( like i had a choice to fab or not) will be cheap in comparison to the $7k greddy still wants for the Z. it should cost 1/2 as much to make 50% more power, then in a chassis where all the weight is on the 15" wide rear tires with 1/2 the moment of inertia weight. ***** this is gunna be cool!!!!
06-20-2009, 03:42 AM
#12
well the guy i bought the 930 trans from lives in bellevue. i am planning on heading up there next friday to pick it up. anyone want to have a beer or 2 and shoot the **** for awhile i should be done about 7pm or so, i will meet ya'll somewhere.
06-20-2009, 02:11 PM
#14
the trans? ya. here is a link if you wanna see it. pretty much the end all of transaxles. this thing will hold uber amounts of powa!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT
the guy is tossing in the adapter, the flywheel for the combo, 2 porsche starters, and the adapter is already drilled to invert the trans. if not, i would be shifting gears and hauling *** backwards! this really is a smoking deal. normally the 930 trans pulls $5k by itself. extra parts are worth about $2k+.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT
the guy is tossing in the adapter, the flywheel for the combo, 2 porsche starters, and the adapter is already drilled to invert the trans. if not, i would be shifting gears and hauling *** backwards! this really is a smoking deal. normally the 930 trans pulls $5k by itself. extra parts are worth about $2k+.
06-21-2009, 01:20 AM
#15
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That car is crazy!! haha. Looks sick though, the interior of that car is insane as well. Look it even has an extra seat on both sides when you open the door!
Ultimate parkin' lot pimpin car.
Ultimate parkin' lot pimpin car.
06-21-2009, 11:37 PM
#18
well, believe it or not, only the body is removed, lol. there isn't much to this thing. it does have a/c (next to the drivers side) and a heater (pass. side). the orange things are foam filled fuel cells. they are more of a sealed membrane dropped into an aluminum tub. the front is the shroud trapping airflow for the radiator which is almost laying flat in the front.
got the thing totally spick and span today. just need to replace the master cylinders, front calipers, and some of the fuel lines and the pumps. all this stuff dried out and left a ton of rust inside the lines. should be road ready in a week or 2.
got the thing totally spick and span today. just need to replace the master cylinders, front calipers, and some of the fuel lines and the pumps. all this stuff dried out and left a ton of rust inside the lines. should be road ready in a week or 2.
